SF Cribs: The places behind the clothes

I'm looking for a building with professionals as tenants who appreciate older/finer real estate, no students, white trash, non-english speakers, indigents, etc.

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Well, you seem to be asking for something that really doesn't exist. These blue-blooded professionals you speak of simply don't live in this kind of building. If they rent at all, they will get a house/townhouse, or rent in a first-rate condo building.

You never mentioned just how much dough you want to fork out in rent...very key.

Now, there are rare instances where you can find this in Toronto...it doesn't get any better than The Balmoral, The Clarendon or The Claridge, on top of the Avenue Rd hill. I have no idea what the rent is, or how difficult it is to get into those kind of rental buildings...but I believe the latter is going the way of the fabulous Benvenuto...going condo.

More realistically, I would recommend the old walk-ups in Forest Hill Village (around Spadina & Lonsdale).

I would also recommend checking out the streets running east off Yonge to Jarvis...between Bloor & College. Quaint little Edwardian & Deco walk-ups of varying degrees of upkeep and rents, but the clientel tend to have a little more taste (read almost all gay in this nabe...hopefully they are not on your **** list).

Your best bet though, is to look more at Toronto's swing'n 60's apartments...this is when Toronto took to apartment living with much more interest and flair. If you want Yorkville, then I would highly recommend Uno Prii's flamboyant tower at 20 Prince Arthur.

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

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Well, you seem to be asking for something that really doesn't exist. These blue-blooded professionals you speak of simply don't live in this kind of building. If they rent at all, they will get a house/townhouse, or rent in a first-rate condo building.

You never mentioned just how much dough you want to fork out in rent...very key.

Now, there are rare instances where you can find this in Toronto...it doesn't get any better than The Balmoral, The Clarendon or The Claridge, on top of the Avenue Rd hill. I have no idea what the rent is, or how difficult it is to get into those kind of rental buildings...but I believe the latter is going the way of the fabulous Benvenuto...going condo.

More realistically, I would recommend the old walk-ups in Forest Hill Village (around Spadina & Lonsdale).

I would also recommend checking out the streets running east off Yonge to Jarvis...between Bloor & College. Quaint little Edwardian & Deco walk-ups of varying degrees of upkeep and rents, but the clientel tend to have a little more taste (read almost all gay in this nabe...hopefully they are not on your **** list).

Your best bet though, is to look more at Toronto's swing'n 60's apartments...this is when Toronto took to apartment living with much more interest and flair. If you want Yorkville, then I would highly recommend Uno Prii's flamboyant tower at 20 Prince Arthur.

I guess Toronto professionals just don't have any interest in low-rise walk-up? Seems like, as you said, most people just rent generic looking condos. I like the building at 20 Prince Arthur, but thats a huge building and not really the quaint walk-up I'm looking for. But that location can't be beat. I have considered moving there. I would love to buy a place in a walk up, but many arn't for sale. Even then, I don't want to get into a place for another 3 years because work and my fiancee's school is still up in the air.

I might check out that area you recommended near Spadina, I'm at Bloor/Spadina now so it's pretty close. I think I really just need to start walking around these neighborhoods you talked about because they don't really seem to advertise the low-rises on the net.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by LVoer

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I rarely see any that are old AND charming. Most are ratty looking. If you have any links/info on nice old walk-ups in the Annex, along Yonge, up Avenue, I'd love to have it. I'm looking for a building with professionals as tenants who appreciate older/finer real estate, no students, white trash, non-english speakers, indigents, etc. I can find plenty of those on my own. LOL.

I find that MLS and Kijiji don't have many listing for nice walk-ups.

I will likely have a 2nd floor 3 bedroom + sunroom available in a duplex (at Avenue/Eglinton) but not before the summer. I haven't looked at any low rise walk-ups in a while but I am most familiar with the Forest Hill Village and the Avenue-Yonge/Eglinton area. MLS and Kijiji/CL are useless for those (though viewit may have the odd listing). Your best bet is to simply go the street/area you are interested in and knock on doors of buildings you like or find the phone # for the super or property manager and they'll tell whether something is available or coming up soon.

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

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Now, there are rare instances where you can find this in Toronto...it doesn't get any better than The Balmoral, The Clarendon or The Claridge, on top of the Avenue Rd hill. I have no idea what the rent is, or how difficult it is to get into those kind of rental buildings...but I believe the latter is going the way of the fabulous Benvenuto...going condo.

More realistically, I would recommend the old walk-ups in Forest Hill Village (around Spadina & Lonsdale).

Those Avenue Rd. buildings are beautiful but there are very few vacancies. The Benvenuto condo conversion hasn't worked out so well from what I've heard so I'm not sure the others are going there (with the exception of the Lonsdale building and other Kenair properties north of St. Clair).

My sister lived at Lonsdale/Spadina (320 I think) and it was nice enough. I am often in that area and wouldn't want to live there as I find it too yuppy/jappy for my taste but ymmv. I would definitely look there if I was you LV.

I guess Toronto professionals just don't have any interest in low-rise walk-up? Seems like, as you said, most people just rent generic looking condos.

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Well, it depends on what you mean by "professional" ? This isn't New York...the well-healed of Toronto traditionally have: never lived downtown (Midtown was the address of choice)...never rented...and never lived in "apartments". This is why you don't see many pre-war buildings that fit the bill. Even though things have changed a lot recently, even if "professionals" want to live in the areas where they exist, the buildings tend to be missing the basic amenities such as parking, ensuite laundry or even dishwashers, let alone the long list of "luxuries" you get even with generic condo buildings. Duplexes/triplexes made from once large single family Victorian houses on nice, matured streets also tend to be the place of choice for many "professionals", as they provide all the niceties of living is a "house" (private parking, more space, back yard, etc). Old walk-ups may have "character", but by their nature, are really generally going to be a little on the cheap and "seen better days" side. Although things are looking up, as the condo market has kicked the crap out of the vacancy rates in older buildings, which has forced the landlords into fixing them up if they want their vacancy rates to drop. That is the case with my building ( 27 unit deco era walk-up)...the new owner picked it up for a song from an out-of-country landlord less than a year ago with a 20% vacancy rate even at cheap rent, and has done extensive reno's to the building, resulting in zero vacancy even with a 25% rent increase.

The Benvenuto condo conversion hasn't worked out so well from what I've heard so I'm not sure the others are going there (with the exception of the Lonsdale building and other Kenair properties north of St. Clair).

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I haven't really kept up with how well the condo conversion at the Benvenuto has been going. To me, this is very blue-chip location and the best damed modernist building in the city (early 50's Peter Dickinson design), which hasn't been compromised in the conversion. The downside is that one of its truly outstanding amenities...Scaramouche, is leaving after nearly 30 years at the end of its lease (Dec 2009 ).

My sister lived at Lonsdale/Spadina (320 I think) and it was nice enough. I am often in that area and wouldn't want to live there as I find it too yuppy/jappy for my taste but ymmv. I would definitely look there if I was you LV.

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Yea...Forest Hill Village certainly has no "sketchiness" to it at all...even the old walk-ups in the village have a certain air of style to them. But you simply can't escape the feeling knowing that you are still living in a cheap apartment amongst "old money" surroundings....and it's the kind of nabe that won't let you forget it.

Originally Posted by suited

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Isn't it annoying to have to get up and walk over to your coffee?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Isn't it annoying to have to get up and walk over to your coffee?

I don't like coffee tables-that's why I don't have a "real" coffee table. It always ends up being a place to put clutter, and I like being able to move around the room without having to step around it. The ottoman is usually always against the couch, unless I'm having company-because it prevents people from sitting on the couch.

Originally Posted by freshcutgrass

Click to expand...

Well, it depends on what you mean by "professional" ? This isn't New York...the well-healed of Toronto traditionally have: never lived downtown (Midtown was the address of choice)...never rented...and never lived in "apartments". This is why you don't see many pre-war buildings that fit the bill. Even though things have changed a lot recently, even if "professionals" want to live in the areas where they exist, the buildings tend to be missing the basic amenities such as parking, ensuite laundry or even dishwashers, let alone the long list of "luxuries" you get even with generic condo buildings. Duplexes/triplexes made from once large single family Victorian houses on nice, matured streets also tend to be the place of choice for many "professionals", as they provide all the niceties of living is a "house" (private parking, more space, back yard, etc). Old walk-ups may have "character", but by their nature, are really generally going to be a little on the cheap and "seen better days" side. Although things are looking up, as the condo market has kicked the crap out of the vacancy rates in older buildings, which has forced the landlords into fixing them up if they want their vacancy rates to drop. That is the case with my building ( 27 unit deco era walk-up)...the new owner picked it up for a song from an out-of-country landlord less than a year ago with a 20% vacancy rate even at cheap rent, and has done extensive reno's to the building, resulting in zero vacancy even with a 25% rent increase. I haven't really kept up with how well the condo conversion at the Benvenuto has been going. To me, this is very blue-chip location and the best damed modernist building in the city (early 50's Peter Dickinson design), which hasn't been compromised in the conversion. The downside is that one of its truly outstanding amenities...Scaramouche, is leaving after nearly 30 years at the end of its lease (Dec 2009 ). Yea...Forest Hill Village certainly has no "sketchiness" to it at all...even the old walk-ups in the village have a certain air of style to them. But you simply can't escape the feeling knowing that you are still living in a cheap apartment amongst "old money" surroundings....and it's the kind of nabe that won't let you forget it.
Thanks for the input guys. You are right freshcut, this certainly isn't New York. I feel like I could find what I'm looking at quite easily there.

Originally Posted by suited

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I don't like coffee tables-that's why I don't have a "real" coffee table. It always ends up being a place to put clutter, and I like being able to move around the room without having to step around it. The ottoman is usually always against the couch, unless I'm having company-because it prevents people from sitting on the couch.

Well, I guess I mean that it looks like everything is spread really far apart. I know you didn't ask for criticism, but it's a pretty common tendency to push things out to the walls, making it harder to watch TV, talk to people, drink coffee, etc. Also, I bet you could do a lot more with your space, which looks very nice.

mafoo, when are you going to post your space? All that furniture you bought, I'm waiting for it to come together on display.

Originally Posted by kronik

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mafoo, when are you going to post your space? All that furniture you bought, I'm waiting for it to come together on display.

Hmm, maybe some time in November. We just got our Modernica fiberglass chairs yesterday.

Are there any swinging '70s bachelor pads in Toronto? You know the type with lots of chrome and state-of-the-art in 1975 technology--reel-to-reel players, dictaphones, wall-installed intercoms, etc.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Well, I guess I mean that it looks like everything is spread really far apart. I know you didn't ask for criticism, but it's a pretty common tendency to push things out to the walls, making it harder to watch TV, talk to people, drink coffee, etc. Also, I bet you could do a lot more with your space, which looks very nice.

You're right, right now it's definitely not being used to its full potential. Any tips would be appreciated. I know i need a new couch, and would like to possibly put a small table/lamp between the two chairs. What do you think?

Originally Posted by suited

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You're right, right now it's definitely not being used to its full potential. Any tips would be appreciated. I know i need a new couch, and would like to possibly put a small table/lamp between the two chairs. What do you think?

I'd move everything away from the walls and create a defined living/television space set apart from the rest of the room. You could probably leave 1/3 to 1/2 of the room for something else, like a reading area with bookshelves or a place to eat. You could use the back of your sofa as a divider.

You'll make more efficient use of your space; moreover, everything will become more usable. You seem to have a decent sized TV, but you're a mile away from it if you sit on your sofa. When guests come over and sit down, they're too far apart for easy conversation.